


Snowed In

by luxuriousvoyage11



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-06
Updated: 2017-11-06
Packaged: 2019-01-30 02:19:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12644154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luxuriousvoyage11/pseuds/luxuriousvoyage11
Summary: A bad snow storm makes for an unexpected sleepover at the Byers. (Mileven Centric)





	Snowed In

It had been a month since the Snowball and life in Hawkins for several residents finally began to simmer down. While El still couldn’t really go out, for her safety, Hopper couldn’t help but make a Saturday night exception. They both had gone over to visit the Byers, the chief helping Joyce through her recent loss and Eleven eager to spend time with her friends any chance she got. 

There had been a light January snow dusting over the Indiana town when they had left that day around noon. Between the kids playing board games and catching up with El downstairs and Hopper and Joyce talking for hours at the kitchen table, nighttime fell along with over twelve inches of snow with temperatures almost in the negatives.  

~

“Hop, really, just stay the night,” Joyce insisted, already gathering up all of the extra blankets and pillows in the house. “It’s too dangerous out there now in the dark.”

The kids had traveled upstairs by then and overheard, causing them to break out into hysterics about what movies to watch that night.

“E.T!! C’mon we haven’t watched that in forever you guys,” Dustin whined, all too familiar with finding and wanting to protect strange creatures.

“Shut up, Dustin!” Lucas shouted back, “you know we always start with Jaws!”

“Stop it, Jesus!” the chief yelled, interrupting the kids. “Fine, the doors stay locked and keep quiet, I’d actually like to get some sleep.”

He helps Joyce move the coffee table out of the way so she can place a giant comforter on the floor before layering the top with half a dozen knitted-blankets and pillows for the kids.

“Alright kiddos, try to get some sleep okay? It’s late,” she says before quickly kissing Will’s head and disappearing to the other side of the house with Hopper, who shoots a knowing look towards Mike. 

Hopper, not having any choice, accepted Mike and El’s attachment. He knows the Wheeler boy wouldn’t do anything to disrespect or make her uncomfortable; that much was obvious when he tried to fight the man double his size after he had found out he had known her location for almost a year. The young boy would do anything in his power to protect her, with or without a threatening candlestick. 

~

Lucas and Dustin were about to start arguing again before Mike interjected, rolling his eyes. “Will, Max, El, what do _you_ guys wanna watch?” It was determined E.T. would, in fact, be the first movie watched; shockingly, only Max agreed with Jaws. 

Will started the movie and spread out on the couch while Dustin sprawled out on the bottom of the comforter, closest to the tv. Lucas and Max sat up propped against the other couch, their hand’s millimeters apart.

Ever since their kiss at the snowball, which they haven’t talked about, they’ve been doing a lot of that; just barely brushing shoulders when they walk next to each other, grazing each other’s hands, exchanging shy looks back and forth. None of the other boys or El would dare mention it though, quietly shipping it from afar. 

Mike and Eleven were another story; it was rare to see them not attached in some capacity. They were sharing a pillow in the middle of the comforter, Mike’s arm wrapped around her shoulder while her head rests on his chest. 

A half hour into the movie and Dustin blurts out, “Hey, El is kind of like E.T.” Letting out a scuff, Lucas’s face twists in confusion, “did you just… call her an alien?” 

Not knowing how to take that, El hides her face further into Mike and he feels her go still. “Dustin, why the fuck would you even say that?” he growls, looking down at the boy with a scowl.

Rethinking what he just said, he leans up on his elbows and shakes his head, “oh god El, I didn’t mean it like that! It’s just that like he has those cool powers like you do and Elliott just really wants to be his friend.” 

Not being able to help but giggle at his pathetic explanation, El looks down at him and shakes her head, “you’re stupid.” That caused the whole group, including Dustin, to burst into laughter.

~

Two hours later and only Lucas and Max were awake to watch Jaws. While Lucas was putting in the Jaws tape, Max looked around at her new friends. El had come around a few days after the Snowball and they were both so grateful to have each other in this group of nerdy boys. 

She was truly amazed by the instant change in Mike once she came back; he even accepted her into the group as a zoomer. It’s almost weird for her to see him smile and laugh every day. 

When Lucas returned, he sat down and accidentally placed his hand on top of hers, “oh, sorry about that” he rushed out, snatching his hand back. Letting out a sarcastic laugh, she replies “it’s all right, stalker.” Rolling his eyes, he nudges her shoulder.

A few minutes into the movie and he notices Max observing Mike and El. “Sickening, right?” he says dryly.

Giggling, she shakes her head. “No, it’s actually really sweet,” she says softly, “how happy he is now, just from her being back. I didn’t even know he was able to smile.”

El’s head still remained on his chest with Mike’s arms protectively holding her.

Looking at his best friend since kindergarten, he nods, “me and Dustin knew he liked her but we didn’t realize how much until she was gone,” he quietly states, “the first few months were the worst, he didn’t do anything. He wouldn’t even go out with us and he barely spoke.” 

Max looks at them admiringly before quietly saying, “she told me they kissed at the snowball.” Unsure how to respond, Lucas bites his lip. “Oh, I didn’t know that.” Looking at him, she nods. “Yeah…oh, this is my favorite part!” 

Groaning under his breath, Lucas scolds himself for not mentioning their kiss that he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about. 

~

It’s 3:53 am when Mike’s eyes frantically open, feeling himself drenched in sweat. El had rolled off his chest during the night, her back now facing him. He quietly gets up and goes to the bathroom, splashing cold water on his face before sitting on the toilet seat. He rubs his hands though his messy dark curls and tired eyes.

Even with El safe and sound in his life again, he occasionally has nightmares about her not coming back after closing the gate. Her leaving after their brief reunion was almost worse than the year he went without her; he had seen her and held her and talked with her just for her to leave and face something so incredibly dangerous again. 

He makes his way back to the living room to see everyone sleeping soundly. Even in their sleep, Lucas and Max’s hands are millimeters apart and he can’t help but smirk at the duo. When he crawls back next to El, her tired eyes are open and squinting at him. 

“Hey El, I thought you were sleeping,” he whispers into the darkness. “Heard you get up,” she quietly states, “are you okay?” Biting his lip, he nods “I’m fine El, don’t worry.” 

They lay there for several minutes, just looking at each other. Two young teens who somehow managed to fall in love in a year when they were only physically with each other for seven days. 

“I have them too, sometimes,” El says, breaking the silence. Swallowing the lump that just formed in his throat, he places his hand on her cheek and strokes it with this thumb. “About seeing Papa again,” she shakily whispers, “I don’t ever wanna see him again.” 

Hearing the way her voice started to wobble, he inches closer to her and places a kiss on her cheek. “He’s gone El,” he reassures, “I promise, we all promise, he’s gone and no one will ever hurt you again.”  

Nodding, she places her head back on his chest and his arms automatically go around her skinny body, tighter than before with the mention of that vile old man. He kisses her forehead and she smiles sweetly before whispering “goodnight, Mike.” He hears her breathing even out a few minutes later and he kisses her head before mumbling against it, “night El, I love you.” 

~

When Hopper wakes up to pee at 7 am, he peaks into the living room and he feels his heart swell when he takes in the sight of the six kids sleeping soundly. He quietly turns off the tv and the floor creaks beneath him.

The noise wakes up Mike and he looks up, confused before his eyes go wide at the chief witnessing him and El cuddled together. Hopper smirks at the kid and gives him a short nod, before returning to Jonathan’s empty bedroom to catch up on some much more deserved rest. 


End file.
